Washing-machine



t e e h S w e e h S 4 .& m H w RM G N m Is CA w m d 0 M 0 w No. 395,037. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES m kud/oz W (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. R. CRANE. WASHING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

ATTORNEYS.

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet a.

G. R. CRANE.

WASHING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

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ATTORNEYS.

(180 Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. r

G. R. CRANE.

WASHING MACHINE.

No. 395.037. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

6265M BY ATIORITEYS.

NITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

CYRUS R. CRANE, OF HOUSATONIC, MASSACHUSETTS WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,037, dated December 725, 1888.

Application filed August 26,1886. Serial No. 211,920. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS R. CRANE, of Ilousatonic, in the count-y of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved \Vashing-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description;

My invention relates to a power washingmaehine designed for use particularly in various bleaching operations wherein the fab rics are treated in continuous lengths; and

myinvention consists of a method of washing and a machine construct-ed as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of the washingmachine,showing two of the series of tanks .and a part of another, and showing the water-main or service-pipe in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite side of the machine, showing the waste-water pipe in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the machine, taken on the line or as of Fig. 4:, the dotted line u indicating the fabric. Fig. r is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line y 1 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is V a perspective view of one of the spreaders or distrilniters for spreading the water as it enters the bottom of each tank from the water-suppl y pipe.

A represents a long narrow tank separated by the transverse partitions (l to form a series of compartments or small tanks, B. At the bottom of each tank 15 is admitted a forced supply of water from the service pipe D through the branch pipes E. The water thus admitted to each tank 13 rises to a point near the top thereo f, where it is discharged through the overflow-pipes F, and in order to effect a uniform flow of water through the tanks from the inlet to the overflow, especially in the center of each tank,where the fabric is subjected to the action of the water-currents,I use a discharge of considerable length, consisting in this instance of an elongated perforated rose or shell, (1%, placed over the entrance to the discharge-pipes F, thus preventing all eddying or centralization of the water-currents at any part of the tank 5 and to still further equalize the currents of water in the tanks, so the water will have uniform action upon all parts of the fabric, I cause the water to be di- \'*ided into small streams, and in this instance and for this purpose I place aperforated false bottom, II, in each tank B, under which the water enters, as will be understood from Fig. 4., and the entering water is spread as it onters over nearly the entire area of the tank-- in this instance bya spreading device or hood, J. (Shownin Figs. 4: and 5.) In this manner the fabric is subjected in each tank to a uniform current washing or rinsing action of clear water, the water being continuously admitted to and-discharged from each tank.

At each end of the machine is located a feed-roller, K, and over each partition 0 is located a transfer-roller, L, for transferring the fabric from one tank 13 to the other. These rollers K L are of uniform size and are revolved at a uniform speed from the shaft M and the sets of beveled gear-wheels N O.

In operation the fabric fed back and forth through the machine and washed many times without handling and without detaching it from the machine, and for this purpose the rollers K L are rcverscdin their revolution in this instance by reversing the motion of the shaft M, which is accomplished by shifting the two belts P Q on the pulleys R S 'l. The belt I is a crossed belt, while the belt (,2 is a straight belt, so they will impart, reverse motion to the shaft M when shifted, respectively, to run upon the pulley b, which is fast upon the shaft. The pulleys R 'l are loose upon the shaft M, and the belts P Q are shipped simultaneously by the belt-shipper U, sothat while the belt Q is on the pulley T the belt P will run upon the pulley S, and when the belt Q is shipped to the pulley S the belt I will be shipped to the loose pulley R, and thus reverse the action of themachine. hen the belts P Q run upon the pulleys R '1, respectively, the machine will remain at rest.

Upon the rollers K I rest the rollers V, which insure the positive feed of the fabric and which press or squeeze the water from the fabric as it passes from one tank to the other and as it passes out of the machine. lVith some fabrics the rollers V will not be used, as

the drawing of the fabric over the rollers L will sufficiently expel the water. The rollers V are journaled in vertically-sliding bearings (Z, which are constantly pressed downward by the springs \V, the pressure of which maybe adjusted by the screws \V, fitted in the cross pieces and which hear at their lower ends upon the springs, as shown clearly in Fig. -.l-, so that by turning the screws W the pressure upon the fabric may be easily regulated.

D 1') are guide pieces or rollers located near the bottom of each tank B for submerging the fabric and for guiding the fabric from the bottom of the tank to the rollers K or L, as the case may be, and above each guide piece or roller 1') I) is secured a guide, D formed with a long narrow opening, (1, through which the fabric passes for keeping the fabric central in the machine.

In operation the fabric is introduced at one end of the machine and several folds permitted to accumulate in the first tank 1;. Then the end of the fabric is passed under the guide-roller l) at the opposite corner of the tank, carried up through the guide D and passed over the roller 'L to the next tank 15. Here several folds are permitted to accumulate, as shown in dotted lines in liig. $5, and then the end passed under the roller 1') and up through the guide I)", over the next roller to the next tank, and on through the whole series of tanks. The rollers being of uniform size and revolved at a uniform speed, the fabric will be continuously fed through the ma chine and subjected in each tank to the currents of clean water, and in passing over the rollers L the water will be successively expelled from the fabric previously to entering each tank. The fabric having passed through the machine in one direction, the belts O I will be shifted and the rollers K L reversed, and the end of the faln-ic introduced at the opposite end of the machine and passed from tank to tank and under the rollers l) in each tank, accumulation of the fabric being permitted in each tank the same as in the opposite action of the machine. in this manner the fabric may be passed back and forth through the machine as often as required to thoroughly cleanse it, without the necessity of handling the goods and without material delay, and the fabric is subjected for a considerable length of time in each tank to a thorough rinsin action in forced currents of pure water, and in passing over the rollers l) the water contained in the fabric is expelled so the water of one tank will not be contaminated by the water in the tank through which the fabric has already passed, and this expulsion of the water greatly 'fzwilitates the cleanin of the fabric.

By providing each tank .13 with a separate water-supply and separate overflow, so that the water of one tank is notcontaminated by the water of another, it will be seen it is practical to reverse the action of the machine and work the goods back and forth, as there is no universal or general contamination of the water, as where the water of one tank is carrieill to another.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a washing-machine, a series of tanks, 13, each having a separate water-supply and separate overflow, and each provided with submerging-rollers, the rollers K L L, and up per rollers, V, in combination with means for revolving the rollers K L L first in one direction and then the other for conveying the fabric back and forth through the machine, substantially as described.

2. The washing-tanks B B, provided with 1 separate water-supply pipes, in combination with elongated and horizontalwastes G, arranged near the top of the tanks to prevent centralization of the water-currents, substantially as described.

3. The tank B, provided with a water-sup ply pipe, E, and elongatedoverflow G, in co1nbination with the perforated false bottom H and spreader J, sul'istantially as described.

CYRUS R. CRANE.

\Vitnesses:

H. A. WEs'r, C. sEDowIoK. 

